Pin clamps which use locating pins and movable fingers to engage and grip a workpiece are known. Characteristically, such pin clamps employ either a stationary or rectilinearly moving locating pin with a movable finger or fingers positioned therein. Clamps having the rectilinearly movable locating pin extend the locating pin to engage a hole in a workpiece, such as a metal sheet. The locating pin then retracts and the finger or fingers within the locating pin extend and hold the workpiece against the clamp body. Clamps having the stationary locating pin typically include a finger or fingers that move both outwardly and downwardly relative to the locating pin to hold the workpiece against the clamp body. These conventional pin clamps, however, often employ a combination of a linearly and rotationally moving components to hold the workpiece. It may be useful to provide a pin clamp assembly that does not require such rotational movement in certain components yet still hold a workpiece.
Accordingly, an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure provides a pin clamp assembly which comprises a pin clamp assembly that comprises a housing, locating pin, at least one finger, a drive rod and an actuator. At least a portion of the locating pin is extendable exterior of the housing. The finger is located adjacent the locating pin and movable relative thereto. The drive rod is movable and is engagable with the finger to move the finger between clamped and unclamped positions. The actuator drives the locating pin and the drive rod. Movement of the locating pin and drive rod is linear only and no rotational movement of the locating pin and drive rod is employed to move the finger between clamped and unclamped positions.
In the above and other illustrative embodiments, the pin clamp assembly may further comprise: the locating pin being movable relative to the housing rectilinearly along the longitudinal axis; a driver being movable rectilinearly and laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis; the driver moves linearly to move the drive rod so the drive rod moves independently of the locating pin; a cam member which has a cam slot disposed therein which receives a portion of the driver which restricts movement of the driver; neither the finger nor the drive rod rotates about a central axis to move the finger between clamped and unclamped positions; and the finger moves linearly between clamped and unclamped positions.
Another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure provides a pin clamp assembly comprising a locating pin with at least one finger extendable there from and that is engagable with a workpiece. The pin clamp assembly further comprises: a means for moving the at least one finger between extended and retracted positions wherein the means moves only rectilinearly, and along with the finger, does not rotate about any axis to move the at least one finger; and an actuation means that moves the means for moving the at least one finger.
Another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure provides a pin clamp assembly which comprises a locating pin, a drive rod, an actuator, a drive and at least one finger. The locating pin is movable rectilinearly along a longitudinal axis. The drive rod is also movable rectilinearly along the longitudinal axis. The actuator drives the drive rod rectilinearly. The driver is movable rectilinearly and laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis. The finger is located adjacent the locating pin and is engagable with the drive rod. The linear movement of the drive rod moves the driver which moves linearly and moves the drive rod independently of the locating pin to move the finger with respect to the locating pin.
In the above and other illustrative embodiments, the pin clamp assembly may further comprise: a cam member having a cam slot disposed therethrough wherein the driver is engagable with the cam slot, and wherein the cam slot determines the lateral movement of the driver with respect to the longitudinal axis; the drive pin having a slot disposed therein that is oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis, and is configured to receive the driver, and the driver is movable linearly along with and lateral to, the longitudinal axis; the cam slot of the cam member being shaped to move the driver laterally at a point while moving along the longitudinal axis; a portion of the driver being keyed with the slot in the drive rod so the driver will be movable linearly along with and lateral to, the longitudinal axis; the driver being engagable with the drive rod; the driver also moves rectilinearly along the longitudinal axis; the actuator is coupled to the locating pin; the finger being movable between clamping and unclamping positions; the finger being a plurality of fingers; the fingers move laterally with respect to the drive rod; the fingers move laterally with respect to the locating pin; as the locating pin retracts to move the fingers to the clamped position, locating pin extends to move the fingers to the unclamped position; and the finger moves linearly in a plane parallel to a plane in which the drive rod moves.
Another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure provides a pin clamp assembly which comprises a body, a drive rod, at least one finger, and a driver. The drive rod is movable rectilinearly and non-rotationally within the body. The finger moves linearly and non-rotationally, and is in operable communication with the drive rod. The driver moves linearly and engages the drive rod which acts on the finger to move the finger linearly to a position exterior of the body.
In the above and other illustrative embodiments, the pin clamp assembly may further comprise: a cam member having a cam slot disposed therethrough wherein the driver is engagable with the cam slot, and wherein the cam slot determines the movement of the driver; the drive rod has a slot disposed therein, and is configured to receive the driver, and wherein the driver is linearly movable; the cam slot of the cam member is shaped to move the driver laterally; a portion of the driver is keyed with the slot and extends outward from both ends of the slot; an actuator that moves the drive rod.
Additional features and advantages of the pin clamp assembly will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrated embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the pin clamp assembly as presently perceived.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the pin clamp assembly, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the pin clamp assembly in any manner.